Crystal Pier
Pacific Beach · PB
Now
Thu Nov 5 · 12–3 PM forecast
4–5 ftchest to head
Best tomorrow · Fri 6
Compare bothNothing good left today.
Best tomorrow · Fri 6, 6 to 10 AM Pacific.
then the wind turns onshore
2–3 ft · thigh to waist
On the small side for a longboard; light offshore wind is grooming the waves.
Show on chart ↓
Onshore: wind from sea to land. It can make the waves choppy.
Rising tide: the water level is going up; 2.5–5.5 ft is this spot’s best range.
Water temperature is in °F; a swimsuit is enough for warmer water, depending on how cold you feel. This is the latest water reading, not a forecast for the session.
Buoy-checked: a live ocean buoy near this spot keeps this forecast honest.
Crystal Pier surf guide
Pacific Beach's pier: steeper waves close to the pilings, and easier ones as you move north · 2 things to watch
Crystal Pier guide
Pacific Beach's pier: steeper waves close to the pilings, and easier ones as you move north.
- Good for
- Intermediates by the pier; beginners farther north on small days.
- The wave
- Sandbar peaks, with a quick left off the pier.
- Watch for
- Surf north of the pier only.
- Rips and crowds by the pilings.
- Best when
- Best on a SW to WNW swell (225°–300°) with ENE offshore wind, at mid to high tide (about 2.5–5.5 ft).
MoreLess about Crystal Pier
Longboards at 1.5–4 ft, shortboards at 2.5–5 ft. Most consistent in fall and winter.
It closes out on big swells. Fall is the pick, when northwest and southwest swells mix and the crowds thin out.
Black-and-yellow flags divide the swimmers' water from the surfers'. Up at Law Street the waves are softer, and surf schools work it most days.
- Local tip
- Parking is the hard part. Try the streets that run down to the beach, like Garnet and Grand, and come early.
GOOD TIDE TODAY5:45–10:15 AM3:50–5:20 PM
Guide updated October 2026
Spot research: Mondo Surf, Go Surfing San Diego, Surf-Forecast, Gathering Waves, Sandermaps, City of San Diego and Deepswell.
Send a spot correctionLive buoy Scripps Nearshore
- WAVES
- 3.8 ft
- PERIOD
- 14s
- FROM
- WNW 299°
- WATER
- 76°
Observed 1:30 PM · 53 min old
7-day surf
LB longboard · SB shortboard
Thu 12 PM · now
4–5 ft · chest to head ·
6 mph onshore · tide 0.9 ft falling
Swell near the beach: 3.9 ft every 13 s from WSW
| Time | Surf | Rating | Wind | Tide |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thu 12 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good, dark hours | 4 mph offshore | 0.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 3 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Epic | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 5.6 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 AM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 1 mph, gusts 4, glassy | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Thu 12 PM | 4–5 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 6 mph onshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Thu 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 11 mph, gusts 14, cross-onshore | 1.7 ft and rising |
| Thu 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 12, cross | 4.3 ft and rising |
| Thu 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 5 mph cross-offshore | 3.3 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 8, glassy | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 5 mph, gusts 6, offshore | 2.5 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 5 mph offshore | 5.8 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 4.8 ft and falling |
| Fri 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph, gusts 10, onshore | 0.9 ft and falling |
| Fri 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph, gusts 11, cross-onshore | 0.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 11, cross-offshore | 3.7 ft and rising |
| Fri 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 5 mph, gusts 9, cross-offshore | 3.9 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, offshore | 1.5 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 7 mph, gusts 15, cross-offshore | 2.3 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 6 mph, gusts 7, offshore | 5.7 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 5 mph, gusts 13, offshore | 5.4 ft and falling |
| Sat 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph, gusts 10, cross-onshore | 1.3 ft and falling |
| Sat 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 11 mph, gusts 13, cross-onshore | −0.1 ft and rising |
| Sat 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 9 mph, gusts 16, cross-onshore | 2.8 ft and rising |
| Sat 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 6 mph, gusts 14, cross | 4.1 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, cross-offshore | 2.1 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 2.1 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 4 mph offshore | 5.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 5.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 5 mph cross-onshore | 1.9 ft and falling |
| Sun 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Poor–Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 9 mph cross-onshore | −0.4 ft and rising |
| Sun 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 12, cross | 1.8 ft and rising |
| Sun 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, cross-offshore | 4.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, offshore | 2.6 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph offshore | 2.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 4 mph offshore | 5.0 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 3 mph offshore | 6.1 ft and falling |
| Mon 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair | 6 mph onshore | 2.7 ft and falling |
| Mon 3 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair | 8 mph cross-onshore | −0.4 ft and falling |
| Mon 6 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph onshore | 1.1 ft and rising |
| Mon 9 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Epic, shortboard Good, dark hours | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 3.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 12 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good, dark hours | 3 mph, gusts 4, cross | 3.0 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 2.2 ft and rising |
| Tue 6 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Good | 3 mph offshore | 4.6 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 AM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 1 mph, gusts 2, glassy | 6.2 ft and falling |
| Tue 12 PM | 3–4 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | 3.4 ft and falling |
| Tue 3 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | −0.1 ft and falling |
| Tue 6 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and rising |
| Tue 9 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, cross-onshore | 3.1 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair–Good, shortboard Fair, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, cross-onshore | 3.2 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 3 mph cross-offshore | 2.4 ft and rising |
| Wed 6 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 2 mph glassy | 4.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 AM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Good, shortboard Fair–Good | 2 mph, gusts 3, glassy | 6.0 ft and rising |
| Wed 12 PM | 2–3 ft | Longboard Fair, shortboard Poor–Fair | 7 mph onshore | 4.0 ft and falling |
| Wed 3 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable | 9 mph onshore | 0.5 ft and falling |
| Wed 6 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 7 mph, gusts 9, cross-onshore | 0.2 ft and rising |
| Wed 9 PM | Waves unavailable | Longboard Unavailable, shortboard Unavailable, dark hours | 4 mph, gusts 5, cross | 2.4 ft and rising |
Today’s tide
GOOD 5:45–10:15 AM3:50–5:20 PM
Mission Bay · feet above low water
Swell
New SSW swell fills in Monday morning.
Details
New SSW swell (13s) fills in Monday morning, peaks Monday midday.
Primary ·
W273°
Secondary ·
W272°
Primary is the main displayed swell by wave energy; another swell can affect this spot more because of its direction.
Short period means closely spaced waves; they usually have less push than a similar-size swell with longer gaps.
Secondary is another swell in the water; it can add waves from a different direction.
Period: seconds between waves; longer gaps usually mean more powerful waves, depending on size and direction.
Wave forecast checked against the live Scripps Nearshore buoy.
Updated 2:03 PM · CDIP/Scripps, Open-Meteo and NOAA.
Common questions
Is Crystal Pier good for beginners?
Yes when it’s small; bigger days suit surfers with some experience.
What tide is best at Crystal Pier?
It’s best at mid to high tide (about 2.5–5.5 ft).
What swell works at Crystal Pier?
A SW to WNW swell (225°–300°) is best, with ENE offshore wind. It picks up swell from SSW to NNW (200°–330°). Most consistent in fall and winter.
What board should I ride at Crystal Pier?
Either works: longboards at 1.5–4 ft, shortboards at 2.5–5 ft.
What should I watch out for at Crystal Pier?
Surf north of the pier only; and rips and crowds by the pilings.